Quick-release closure



Sept. 21, 1965 sc u 3,206,813

QUICK-RELEASE CLOSURE Filed Dec. 19, 1962 Erich Schumm INVENTOR.

Fig.6 BY 8 WW United States Patent 3,206,813 QUICK-RELEASE CLOSURE Erich Schumm, Siegelsberger Str. 17, Murrhardt, Wurttemberg, Germany Filed Dec. 19, 1962, Ser. No. 245,821 Claims priority, application Germany, Dec. 22, 1961,

Sch 30,743

4 Claims. (CI. 24-46) The present invention relates to a quick-release closure and, more particularly, to improved ties for closing packages.

There have been proposed, heretofore, elongated flexible closure members adapted to be wound about a package, e.g. to encircle the neck of a sack or the wrapping of a carton which were provided with engaging or locking means on one end adapted to effect a rapid detachment from the engaged band portion upon a tug of the band. The present invention is concerned with improvements in such closures and has as its principal object the provision of a highly effective quick-release closure adapted to obviate certain disadvantages of earlier members as will be more readily apparent hereinafter.

According to a feature of the present invention, the quick-release closure comprises an elongated flexible band having a locking head at one end thereof. This head is provided with a longitudinally extending channel adapted to receive the band and a pair of longitudinally extending members yieldably overlying the channel on opposite sides thereof. These members thus form a gap communicating with the channel through which a narrow portion of the band can be inserted. The floor of the channel is provided with a first longitudinal array of teeth engageable with a second longitudinal array of teeth formed along a surface of the band juxtaposed with the floor of the channel in a closed condition of the closure. When the band is drawn through the channel, the second array of teeth interengages with the first array to lock the closure member while a transverse pull on the band will cammingly deflect the overlying members, thereby permitting rapid withdrawal of the band from the channel through the gap. The aforedescribed construction has a major advantage over prior-art devices employing a single array of teeth inasmuch as the dual arrays permit the use of teeth whose individual heights are substantially less than that previously required. Since the teeth interengage, the band must be moved away from the floor of the channel by a distance equal to at least twice the height of the teeth if slippage is to occur. The height of the channel is, however, so chosen as to be equal at least to the thickness of the band but, preferably, not substantially greater so that any tendency for the band to disengage from the teeth of the floor is limited by the overlying members. It should be understood that the band and/or head are formed from resilient material such as a synthetic resin or elastomeric material (rubber) and that the two members thus constituting the closure may be integral with each other.

Preferably, the teeth of the two arrays are directed oppositely to one another, thereby ensuring positive engagement against retraction of the hand through the channel while the teeth of the first array may be forwardly oriented in the direction of band travel. The teeth of the second array will then be rearwardly oriented so that substantially free passage for the hand through the channel in the forward direction is ensured. The channel will, of course, have a width approximating that of the tooth por tion of the band and it is preferable to have the teeth of the first array extend transversely substantially the entire width of the channel while the teeth of the band extend transversely only part of the band width. Thus the width 3,206,813 Patented Sept. 21, 1965 of the second array of teeth may be equal substantially to the width of the gap formed between the overlying members which is, in turn, approximately equal to the width of a narrow terminal portion of the band remote from the head. This narrow portion may be readily inserted into the channel through the gap whereupon relative longitudinal motion of the band and the head serves to draw the arrays of teeth into engagement with each other.

To facilitate the introduction of the wider portion of the band into the channel, the latter advantageously diverges outwardly in the longitudinal direction away from its junction with the band and is formed an enlarged mouth extending substantially over the entire width of the band at this end. Since the band usually encircles the object to be tied, this mouth may comprise an arcuate surface conforming generally to the curvature of the band thrust into the channel for guiding the wider portion thereof. Furthermore, it is advantageous to provide a pair of inclined surfaces flanking the narrow portion of the band at its junction with the toothed portion to effect a smooth entrance of the latter into the channel. These oblique surfaces are generally inclined from the toothed surface of the band rearwardly in the direction of the opposite surfaces thereof. The teeth of the second array are preferably spaced from the junction between the narrow portion and wide portion of the band so that this wide portion will enter the channel cleanly prior to the passage of the second array into contact with the floor of thischannel.

'In order to increase the strength of the overlying members and prevent breakage, it is desirable to provide at least one transversely extending reinforcing ri'b along the outer surface of each of these members. These members advantageously extend longitudinally substantially over the entire length of the channel and are provided with such ribs at both of their extremities. The ribs may be formed with enlarged portions transversely spaced from the gap and may converge in the direction of the latter so as simultaneously to form a guide for directing the narrow portion of the band into the gap.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the following description, reference being made to the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a quick-release closure according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side-elevational view, partly broken away, of the closure;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line II-I -III of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 2 with the device in a partly closed condition;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the closure applied to the neck of a sack; and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged longitudinal cross-sectional view ,through the head of the closure.

In the drawing I show a closure wherein the toothed portion 1 of a flexible band is integral at one extremity with the locking head 2 and at its other extremity with a narrow portion 5 terminating in a gripping ring 14 provided with an annular flange 14 for reinforcing this ring. The closure, which can be composed of a flexible synthetic resin or elastomeric material, has its head 2 formed with a channel 3 whose floor is provided with a first array 10a of sawteeth which extend transversely over substantially the entire width of band 1 and of channel 3. A pair of longitudinally extending members 2 project transversely over the floor of the channel and overlie the latter so that it has a height approximating the thickness of the hand. These members 2' form a longitudinally extending slot or gap 3 which communicates with the J! channel and is dimensioned to pass the narrow portion of the band, thereby enabling its insertion. The passage constituted by the channel 3 and the slot 3' has, consequently, a T-shaped configuration. A pair of projections or ribs 2" are provided at opposite ends of each of the overlying members 2' and serve to reinforce the latter. These ribs extend from an enlarged portion formed beyond the undercut region of head 2 toward the gap 3' and converge in the direction thereof to form a guide for the narrow portion 5 of the band.

The band 1 is also provided with a second array of transverse sawteeth whose width is approximately equal to that of the narrow portion 5 and the gap 3, while being less than the Width of the arrays 10a. The teeth of the two arrays are, as may be seen in FIGS. 2 and 6, oppositely directed and an enlarged mouth 23 is provided at the inlet end of channel 3. At the junction between the narrow portion 5 and the toothed portion 1 of the band there are additionally provided a pair of inclined surfaces 1' flanking the narrow portion and defining a diverging transition zone for facilitating the introduction of the wide portion into the channel.

The band 1, 5 can be wound around the neck of a sack with the narrow portion 5 being inserted into channel 3 via gap 3. The closure can then be tightened by drawing the band relatively to the head 2 in the direction of arrow 16, thereby pulling the second array of teeth 10 into the channel and into engagement with the'teeth 10a of the first array. The neck of the package may thus be tightly sealed with retraction of the band being prevented by the interengaging teeth with, however, relatively free dis-placement in the direction of arrow 16. When it is desired to release the closure, the grasping ring 14 is pulled perpendicularly to the channel (arrow 17) whereupon the overlying members 2' are deflected to permit withdrawal of the toothed portion of the band through the gap 3'.

The invention as described and illustrated is believed to admit of many modifications within the ability of persons skilled in the art, all such modifications being considered within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A closure member comprising an elongated strap of flexible resilient material formed with an enlarged head at one end, a relatively wide band portion narrower and lower than said head extending integrally outwardly from the bottom of the latter, and a relatively narrow band portion of substantially the same height as said wide portion alignedly extending therefrom at a location remote from said head, said wide portion being provided at its underside with a longitudinal first array of transverse sawteeth facing in the direction of said head, the latter being provided with a throughgoing channel wide enough to receive said wide portion and disposed in line therewith substantially at the level of the upper surface of said wide portion, said head being further provided with a narrower throughgoing slot open at the top surface of said head and registering throughout its length with said channel whereby a throughgoing passage with a cross-section generally of inverted-T shape is formed in said head in line with said wide and narrow portions, said slot having a length less than that of said narrow portion and being narrower than said wide portion but wide enough to receive said narrow portion from above upon a looping of said strap back upon itself with said narrow portion overlying said slot, said channel being provided at its floor with an upstanding second array of transverse sawteeth normally facing in the same direction as those of said first array, and grip means at the other end of said strap for pulling said wide portion into said channel upon insertion of said narrow portion into said channel by way of said slot whereby the sawteeth of said arrays interengage and prevent withdrawal of said wide portion from said channel in a loop-widening direction, said channel having upper wall portions alongside said slot bearing resiliently upon said wide portion for maintaining said sawteeth engaged.

2. A closure member as defined in claim 1 wherein said grip means comprises a flanged ring, said head having the shape of a circular disk of substantially the same diameter as said ring.

3. A closure member as defined in claim 1 wherein said head is provided along said top surface with a pair of ribs flanking said slot and sloping toward the latter for guiding said narrow portion into said passage.

4. A closure member as defined in claim 1 wherein said strap has a pair of inclined flank surfaces forming a diverging transition zone from said narrow portion to said wide portion.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,545,428 3/51 Liautaud 24206.1 2,936,980 5/60 Rapata 24-17 3,049,771 8/62 Litwin et al. 2416 3,086,265 4/63 Arenick et al. 2430.5

DONLEY J. STOCKING, Primary Examiner. 

1. A CLOSURE MEMBER COMPRISING AN ELONGATED STRAP OF FLEXIBLE RESILIENT MATERIAL FORMED WITH AN ENLARGED HEAD AT ONE END, A RELATIVELY WIDE BAND PORTION NARROWER AND LOWER THAN SAID HEAD EXTENDING INTEGRALLY OUTWARDLY FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE LATTER, AND A RELATIVELY NARROW BAND PORTION OF SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME HEIGHT AS SAID WIDE PORTION ALIGNEDLY EXTENDING THEREFROM AT A LOCATION REMOTE FROM SAID HEAD, SAID WIDE PORTION BEING PROVIDED AT ITS UNDERSIDE WITH A LONGITUDINAL FIRST ARRAY OF TRANSVERSE SAWTEETH FACING IN THE DIRECTION OF SAID HEAD, THE LATTER BEING SPROVIDED WITH A THROUGHGOING CHANNEL WIDE ENOUGH TO RECEIVE SAID WIDE PORTION AND DISPOSED IN LINE THEREWITH SUBSTANTIALLY AT THE LEVEL OF THE UPPER SURFACE OF SAID WIDE PORTION, SAID HEAD BEING FURTHER PROVIDED WITH A NARROWER THROUGHGOING SLOT OPEN AT THE TOP SURFACE OF SAID HEAD AND REGISTERING THROUGHOUT ITS LENGTH WITH SAID CHANNEL WHEREBY A THROUGHGOING PASSAGE WITH A CROSS-SECTION GENERALLY OF INVERTED-T SHAPE IS FORMED IN SAID HEAD IN LINE WITH SAID WIDE AND NARROW PORTIONS, SAID SLOT HAVING A LENGTH LESS THAN THAT OF SAID NARROW PORTION AND BEING NARROWER THAN SAID WIDE PORTION BUT WIDE ENOUGH TO RECEIVE SAID NARROW PORTION FROM ABOVE UPON A LOOPING OF SAID STRAP BACK UPON ITSELF WITH SAID NARROW PORTION OVERLYING SAID SLOT, SAID CHANNEL BEING PROVIDED AT ITS FLOOR WITH AN UPSTANDING SECOND ARRAY OF TRANSVERSE SAWTEETH NORMALLY FACING IN THE SAME DIRECTION AS THOSE OF SAID FIRST ARRAY, AND GRIP MEANS AT THE OTHER END OF SAID STRAP FOR PULLING SAID WIDE PORTION INTO SAID CHANNEL UPON INSERTION OF SAID NARROW PORTION INTO SAID CHANNEL BY WAY OF SAID SLOT WHEREBY THE SAWTEETH OF SAID ARRAYS INTERENGAGE AND PREVENT WITHDRAWAL OF SAID WIDE PORTION FROM SAID CHANNEL IN A LOOP-WIDENING DIRECTION, SAID CHANNEL HAVING UPPER WALL PORTIONS ALONGSIDE SAID SLOT BEARING RESILIENTLY UPON SAID WIDE PORTIONS FOR MAINTAINING SAID SAWTEETH ENGAGED. 